9/11 compensation legislation to help suburban responders
Chicago-area firefighters' heroism was hailed by Illinois' two senators Wednesday as they worked to help pass legislation to compensate emergency workers who helped at ground zero after Sept. 11, 2001.
The legislation passed the Senate by a voice vote Wednesday afternoon, just hours after two Chicago firefighters lost their lives and others were injured when a brick wall collapsed in a vacant burning building on the city's South Side.
The House passed it Wednesday afternoon. It now heads to President Obama's desk, where the commander-in-chief said he plans to sign it into law.
“I know I don't need to impress upon my colleagues the dangers that first responders face on the job and the bravery these men and women show us every day. But this issue has been highlighted for me this morning and for the people of Chicago and for firefighters and first responders across the country,” Durbin said.
The legislation — the product of a bipartisan compromise — would provide up to $4.2 billion in new aid for monitoring and treating illnesses related to working at ground zero and would reopen a victims' compensation fund for another five years to cover wage and other economic losses of sickened workers and nearby residents.
Democratic senators Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand of New York had initially sought $6.2 billion and keeping the compensation fund open for 10 years.
The legislation will be paid for with a fee on some foreign firms that get U.S. government procurement contracts, and by extending fees for certain firms reliant on visas.
According to the World Trade Center Health Registry, more than 270 9/11 responders and survivors are living in Illinois, including Arlington Heights, Elk Grove Village, Naperville, Schaumburg, Western Springs and Wheeling.
During a news conference, Durbin told the stories of several Chicago firefighters who spent hundreds of hours volunteering at ground zero. Among them was Arthur Noonan of Chicago, who worked in a line passing buckets of debris, searching for human remains and clothing.
Durbin said Noonan and the other volunteers were given respirators, but the filters clogged up after just a few minutes.
They worked without masks, and a few years after the attack, Noonan contracted leukemia. Though Noonan applied for health benefits through the Victim Compensation Act, his claim was filed two weeks too late.
The legislation gained momentum with help from cable TV personalities, among them comedian and activist Jon Stewart.
Republican Sen. Mark Kirk issued a statement noting that he appreciated “the bipartisan efforts made to produce a fiscally responsible bill that offsets the cost to American taxpayers and am proud to support it.”
&bul; Daily Herald news services contributed.